Soap Box

On this day, that our nation sets aside to honor the service and the memories of those who have served in our armed forces, I offer my most heartfelt and sincere gratitude, firm in my belief that the only two things that protect America are the grace of Almighty God and the United States military.

It is good to designate a day to honor the living and commemorate the ones who gave it all at Valley Forge, Iwo Jima, Chosin Reservoir, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and the all the battlefields around the world where our soldiers have fought for American freedom and security.

And while a day of remembrance is noble, admirable and fitting, will we honor our veterans today and forget them tomorrow?

It seems that President Obama approached our military as if it were any other part of the government, to be dealt with in a political fashion, insisting on instituting politically correct policies that had nothing to do with the fighting efficiency and everything to do with ideology.

Some of our best and most experienced officers were decommissioned because they didn't fit Obama's vision of the New World Order type of military he envisioned and the size of our combat ready personnel and equipment has been cut to levels not seen since before the Cold War.

Our military is not like a piece of clay to be molded to the ideology of a president who can't even bring himself to properly identify the enemy they are fighting.

While Russia and China have been building their forces and making technological advances in the planes, ships and munitions, America has basically put our military on hold for eight years as the world grows more dangerous every day.

In this volatile, unpredictable world we live in where regional conflicts could escalate into major conflicts or, as in the case of Iraq, a power mad despot like Saddam Hussein can attempt to annex nations we are friendly with, where radical Islamic terrorists could possibly get their hands on nuclear material any day, America cannot, I repeat, cannot have anything less than the best, most motivated, best lead, best equipped standing army on the planet.

Ronald Reagan said it, and it's just as true today, "Peace through strength".

I know that there are many dedicated and capable people in the rank and file of the Veterans Administration, but something in the administrative part of the organization is badly broken.

Veterans waiting for months for critical appointments and even dying while waiting is not acceptable from an organization which spent over one hundred million dollars on art to decorate hospitals with waiting rooms full of untreated veterans.

Our new president has promised to address this sorry state of affairs and it is my fervent hope that he will do it in the first few days of his presidency.

For the last eight years America has basically marked time, losing momentum and prestige, no longer respected, no longer feared, with Iraqi territory paid for in American blood basically surrendered to political expediency.

So on this day, as we honor those among us who have given so much, I would fervently ask each American, let's make sure our politicians make a top priority of rebuilding our military and straightening out the mess at the VA.

It�s the least we can do.

As a life long patriot and supporter of our armed forces, to all who have, are or will be wearing that uniform of honor, I send my prayers, my respect and my unbounded gratitude.

Happy Veterans Day.

What do you think?

Pray for our troops, our police and the peace of Jerusalem

God Bless America

� Charlie Daniels

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